In a recent interview (via The Daily Mirror), Aston Villa boss Dean Smith has confirmed that he has no plans to permanently sign Ross Barkley from Chelsea when his loan spell expires at the end of this campaign. When asked about Barkley’s future, the Villans manager said,
“No, Ross Barkley came in on loan at the start of the season.
“Obviously, Frank Lampard was the manager at the time we brokered a deal to bring him in on loan.
“That’s where it was.
“He’s got another two years left on his contract at Chelsea and that’s not been discussed at all.”
Barkley’s Underwhelming Loan Spell With The Villans
Despite a promising start, Barkley’s loan spell with the West Midlands club has been ravaged by injuries. The English playmaker has made 20 appearances for the Villans this term, netting three goals and providing one assist in all competitions.
Even though he has struggled to make an impact at Villa Park of late, yet the 27-year-old deserves some credit for averaging 1.7 shots, 1.6 key passes and 1.1 dribbles per 90 minutes in this Premier League campaign. Barkley has also been excellent when distributing the ball from midfield after completing 83.8% of his attempted passes in the English first division (stats via whoscored).
Is Dean Smith Making The Right Call With Regards To Barkley’s Future At Villa Park?
Barkley can make some clever runs with the ball from midfield and has got the vision to play a decisive pass in the attacking end of the field. He can also strike the ball purely and with a lot of power which makes him a threat from long range. However, injuries have disrupted his momentum at Villa Park, so it seems like Smith is making the right decision by opting to not re-sign him this summer.
Barkley is currently not a guaranteed starter in Smith’s first team, which goes on to show that he has lost the confidence of his gaffer. At 27, the 33-time England international is running out of time to prove his worth at the highest level. Hence, the best option for the player would be to return to Chelsea and hope that he can impress Thomas Tuchel or find a new club to move on to in search of greener pastures.
Either way, the Villans manager would be better off sending Barkley back to Stamford Bridge and finding a suitable replacement for him when the transfer window commences later this year.
